The Colorado Association of Homebuilders and the HBA of Metro Denver contingent traveled to Grand Junction this July for its quarterly board and committee meetings. The Government Affairs Committee met to receive updates on several ballot initiatives and to continue its preparation for the impending 2019 legislative session.

The GAC received a presentation on Initiative 108, the Just Compensation for Reduction in Fair Market Value, by Chad Vorthman of the Colorado Farm Bureau. Initiative 108 is a Constitutional measure and requires a super-majority of signatures and votes since the passage of the Raise the Bar initiative in 2016. Signatures are due to the Secretary of State on August 6, and the campaign is circulating petitions across the state right now.

Proponents of 108 say the measure will strengthen private property rights by amending the state Constitution to require state and local governments to provide compensation for property owners when government action negatively impacts the value of their property. The GAC decided it needed to learn more about the measure and to receive information from the opposition, which is led by the Colorado Municipal League, before making a final decision on the measure.

The GAC also heard a presentation by former Secretary of State Bernie Buescher, representing the Fair Maps Colorado campaign, on Amendments Y and Z. This pair of Constitutional amendments was referred to the ballot by the General Assembly and do not require signature collection. The bipartisan measures were spearheaded in the legislature by Republican Senate President Grantham and Democratic House Speaker Duran. A campaign of business leaders, statewide elected officials and Governor Hickenlooper will work toward passage.

After years of highly partisan and politicized redistricting processes for both Congressional and legislative districts, legislators and statewide community leaders came together to create a less partisan structure to draw and approve maps, as required every 10 years in Colorado just after the U.S. Census.

Amendment Y will address Colorado’s Congressional districts, while Amendment Z will address state House and Senate districts. Both measures set criteria for map-drawing and prohibitions on gerrymandering by creating commissions made up evenly of Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters who rely on maps made by professional staff, rather than continuing to allow majority parties and governors to hold sway over that job. Each measure directs the map-drawing staff and appointed commissions to maximize competitive districts.

The GAC voted to support and endorse both Amendment Y and Z, and encourages CAHB members to vote for both measures this November. It is incumbent upon our industry to help facilitate an environment which promotes better governance. Having more competitive districts will require candidates that need to represent and be responsive to a broader constituency, which means they should be more willing to compromise for the greater good of all Coloradans. Amendments Y and Z are vehicles to such an environment.

The survey is part of HBA’s research about issues impacting the industry. The information will help GAC committee members, CAHB staff and the lobbying team prepare for the 2019 legislative session. Many voices and perspectives from within our industry and member companies are valuable. When taking the survey, please provide as much information as needed about government and political issues that might impact your business. You know best what those issues are, but we can then turn those concerns into action items.

Remember, Colorado will have a new governor and administration, attorney general, treasurer, state Senate and House members, and county commissioners, as well as dozens of new regulators who will make up that new administration. We need to be as prepared as possible to educate these new officials and to advocate on your behalf.

Legislative Incumbent Support:

The CAHB’s Political Funding Committee also met in Grand Junction and decided the association’s slate of endorsed legislative incumbents. These sitting legislators who are up for re-election are rated on several criteria, including actions taken on behalf of CAHB, sponsorship or co-sponsorship of CAHB legislation, General Assembly leadership and committee assignments, past CAHB Support, race competiveness and other factors. The CAHB’s endorsed incumbents for 2018 include:

State Senate:

Senate District 1: Jerry Sonnenberg, President Pro Tempore and possibly next Senate President

House District 57: Bob Rankin, member of Appropriations and Joint Budget Committee

House District 58: Marc Catlin, member of Agriculture, Livestock & Natural Resources and Public Heath Care & Human Services committees

House District 60: Jim Wilson, member of Local Government and Education, Health, Insurance & Environment committees

House District 63: Lori Saine, Minority Caucus Chair

If you live in any of these legislative districts, please consider supporting these elected officials with your vote. If you have any questions about these endorsements or any parts of CAHB’s Political and Government Affairs processes, please contact CAHB at 303-691-2242 or cahb@hbacolorado.com.